ILOILO CITY, PHILIPPINES - AC Energy Philippines submitted to the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) its Environmental Plan (EMP) today. The EMP discusses in full detail the Company's plans to address the environmental impact of the oil spill that occurred on July 3, 2020 after AC Energy's Power Barge 102 "exploded".
The EMP focuses on the detailed plans of the Company as well as the relevant timeline for the implementation of the said plans in relation to the following key areas which the DENR-EMB stressed and highlighted on July 8, 2020 during the Technical Conference:
(1) Completion of the oil spill clean-up, and ensuring that water quality is restored to safe levels;
(2) Continued monitoring of air quality and insuring that air quality is safe before affected families are allowed to return to their respective homes;
(3) Proper collection and disposal of oil-contaminated materials and wastes; and
(4) Rehabilitation plan for the affected mangrove areas and fisheries.
The Company will continue to coordinate and work closely with DENR, various government bodies and agencies, including the local governments of Iloilo City and Guimaras, and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) even with the submission of the EMP to the DENR-EMB to implement the plans and to take into account the comments and other recommendation from concerned government units and agencies.
With respect to the news reports released recently regarding the filing of a criminal complaint of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) against the Company and some of its officers for the alleged violation of Section 107 of Republic Act 8550 or The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, as amended by RA 10654 for aquatic pollution, the Company has not received a copy of such complaint and thus cannot make any specific comments at this time.
The Company, however, even with the filing of the case, undertakes and commits to continue cooperating in good faith with the PCG and the other government units and agencies to ensure that the oil spill clean-up is done properly and completed soon, and that the needs of the affected communities and groups are provided for.
With the submission of its EMP, the various clean-up activities it organized with industry and local government partners, and the community assistance that it provided since the oil spill incident, the Company hopes to have demonstrated its serious commitment to do what is right for the affected communities and the environment, and to address the aquatic pollution